Shoes have been used throughout history to protect the bottom of the feet and facilitate travel. Shoe is used in the broad sense herein to include sandals, shoes, boots and footwear in general.
Shoes have two major components: the sole on which the wearer stands and the uppers which serve to hold the sole on the foot. Basic shoe design has remained the same for many years with shoes varying only by substitution of various materials. More recently, some types of shoes have been made with specialized designs in an effort to make the shoe more suitable for particular activities such as running, walking, tennis, etc. Most of the specialized designs have been in the area of the shoe market known as sports shoes. Sports shoes have received particular attention because of the increased stress such activity places on the feet, ankles and legs of the wearer.
The primary focus in prior shoes has been to achieve a tight fit so there is little slippage of the shoe on the foot and to cushion the heel. There has been a need, however, to improve shoe design so as to improve comfort and stability of the shoe and to aid in the proper placement of the feet while walking or running. The present invention is primarily related to design of the walking shoe, but the design is also useful for running shoes and sports shoes in general. The present invention has many advantages such as ease of construction, providing support to the outer edge of the foot to help control pronation, and providing a massaging action to the foot.